How can I encourage one breast to soften and settle down more? 10 weeks post op. (photos)

My left breast has settled and softened nicely 10 weeks post op. I love how natural it looks and feels. My right breast is sitting higher and is a little more firm. Any suggestions? Other than massage?

Helping settle the right breast - massage and patience

November 3rd, 2016

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Thank you for your question!

Implants initially sit high up because the chest muscles and
surrounding breast tissues have not become accustomed to the implant resulting
in tightness. You have to allow gravity to take effect, and overtime, natural
tissue expansion will allow the implants to fall into place causing your
breasts to appear more natural, softer, and rounder. Once that happens, the
implant will sit directly behind the breast tissue in a natural 45:55 breast
ratio, and the nipples will move up higher. Currently, there may be excessive
upper pole fullness (> 55:45) in both sides, so in time, this will change.

Please note that it is not uncommon for breasts to heal and
adapt to implants at different rates. In fact, the process I described above
can occur quicker in one breast over another.

Also please note that if there was pre-existing mild breast
asymmetry before surgery, then that asymmetry will continue to exist.

You may have to wait 3-6 months for the final results. Since
you are only 10 weeks into recovery, there is a lot of time for the “drop and
fluff.” If the breasts still appear different at that point in time, then you
may share your concerns with your surgeon and they should be able to fix the
problem.

To encourage settling of the implant you must engage in persistent
inward and downward breast massaging, and perhaps wear pole wraps.

Patience is key!

Please continue to have regular follow-ups with your surgeon
to make sure your breasts are healing beautifully. Their recovery instructions
should take precedence over all else you read here as they are better informed
about your surgical details.

Drop & Fluff

November 10th, 2016

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Hello,

Thank you for your question. Pre op photos may show a slight asymmetry, which is common, and often results in breasts settling at different rates. They do tend to even out over the first few months and it can take up to 6 months for the tissues to soften and expand. I recommend that you hold off until closer to 6 months to evaluate your results.

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Settling Naturally

November 8th, 2016

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Thank you for your question and congratulations on your recent procedure! You are still very early in the healing process. It's best to continue your massages and give your body the time is needs to fully heal. Your breasts will not be fully healed and begin to settle into their natural place until about the 3 month mark. Good luck and congratulations again!

Getting your breasts to settle

November 3rd, 2016

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Thanks for your question. Aside from massage, other factors are simply time, or an upper breast strap. If it fails to drop your surgeon can advise whether another procedure might be required to reposition the implant.

How to get one breast to soften and drop

November 3rd, 2016

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Thank you for your question. Some patients experience a breast that heals and drops slower than the other breast. Many times I will recommend that a patient wear a strap over the breast that needs a little encouragement to drop. If your breast is firm, I would recommend seeing your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss if they feel this is normal healing or the possibility of the formation of capsular contracture. I wish you the best of luck!

Breast augmentation recovery

November 3rd, 2016

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You still have some recovery left to go. Continue to follow the advice of your surgeon. Time will be the best healer. Note that your breasts may end up slightly different from one another. They likely weren't identical before surgery.

Breast augmentation

November 3rd, 2016

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Thank you for your question and photograph.

It is important to address any post-operative concerns with your plastic surgeon. You are still early on in your recovery. Swelling after a breast augmentation occurs with 100% of patients, eventually the swelling will go down and your breasts will drop into their pockets, sometimes you heal quicker in one breast than the other and one implant can even drop sooner than the other one. If one implant is still sitting too high, the use of a breast binder and a foam wedge is beneficial to add downward pressure to that breast. I would continue to perform your breast massages. Your doctor may also prescribe you a Medrol dose pack (steroid) to help with the swelling. I hope this helps.Best of luck in your recovery!Sincerely,

Breast Augmentation - Post Op Swelling?

November 3rd, 2016

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Thank you for your question and photos. Congratulations on your recent surgery. You are still early in the post-operative period. It typically takes 3 - 6 months for the swelling to subside and and implants to settle into proper position. Please discuss your concerns with your board certified plastic surgeon. Also, make sure you follow all of your plastic surgeons post-operative instructions regarding level of physical activity and use of a support bra. Hope this helps and good luck with your recovery.

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.